Saddam Hussein on Wednesday dismissed the U.N. order to destroy Al Samoud 2 missiles as a ploy designed to demoralize Iraqis before an enemy attack.
"After they could not find weapons of mass destruction because they do not exist, the enemy has begun to focus on minor issues, including the rocket," the Iraqi president told a group of army commanders Wednesday in images shown on the state television.
"Do they reach Israel? No. Do they reach the United States? No. Why do they focus on this detail? Because they think that such minor issues will affect your morale."
Since Saturday, Iraq has destroyed 28 missiles, including nine on Wednesday. Before beginning the destruction, Iraq was believed to have about 100 of the missiles.
Saddam's comments followed a remark by one of the commanders, who told the Iraqi president that despite the destruction of the Al Samoud 2 missiles, the Iraqi army remained ready to repel any attack.
On his part, Secretary of State Colin Powell accused Saddam of maneuvering to divide the U.N. Security Council and "split us into arguing factions." He conceded that key differences remain among members on using force.
But Powell declared Saddam's effort would fail. "No nation has been taken in by his transparent tactics," he said in a speech to a foreign-policy group.
Powell, who will travel to the United Nations Thursday, said that Saddam had thrown away his "one last chance" to avoid the "serious consequences" the world body threatened last November for failing to disarm.
Powell will join with other foreign ministers and ambassadors on Friday in hearing the latest report from chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix and to lobby for the resolution submitted by the United States, Britain and Spain. Thursday's trip will be Powell's fourth visit to the United Nations in less than two months.
Powell spoke just hours after the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Russia joined forces in vowing to block a U.S.-backed resolution finding Iraq in violation of its obligations and authorizing use of force to disarm Saddam.
Powell said that "nobody really knows who has the votes until the votes are taken."
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said, "Don't leap to conclusions about the final vote. You will continue to hear various statements by various people around the world." The administration continued to predict that Bush would prevail.
"There are divisions among us" on the Security Council, Powell acknowledged. "If these divisions continue, they will convince Saddam Hussein that he is right. But I assure you, he is wrong."
Powell told the Center for Strategic and International Studies that there has been no evidence that Saddam has made any serious movement to disarm or cooperate with U.N. inspectors.
"Iraq's too-little too-late gestures are meant not just to deceive and delay action by the international community, he has as one of his major goals to divide the international community, to split us into arguing factions. That effort must fail," Powell said.
He added the only real issue left is whether Saddam had "made a strategic decision, a political decision, to give up these horrible weapons of mass destruction." He said Saddam had not.
"That's it, in a nutshell," Powell said. "It's not about inspectors, it's not about an inspection regime."
But Powell also held out a remaining hope that the issue could be resolved peacefully. "If Iraq complies and disarms even at this late hour it is possible to avoid war," he said.
Powell spoke shortly after Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and the man who would command U.S. forces in war told a Pentagon news conference that time was running short for Saddam.
"Saddam Hussein can prevent the use of force," Rumsfeld said. "To do so, he will have to disarm or leave."
Gen. Tommy Franks said, "Our troops in the field are trained, they're ready, they are capable."
Bush met with congressional leaders at breakfast Wednesday. Franks brought battle plans to the president shortly after that. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
